As we told you on December 21, Jordan Aircraft Services is constructing internal tanks for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. With the horizontal configuration of the tank, 54-inch pistons at each end will push the water toward the valve in the center in order to maintain adequate head pressure and a constant flow. The tanks, designed by Eric Foy of Perideo LLC, will hold up to 2,800 gallons.
Continue readingInternal tank being developed for Chinook
A company in Central Point Oregon is developing an internal tank for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Jordan Aircraft Services is constructing a tank engineered by Eric Foy of Perideo LLC in Rogue Valley Oregon that will hold up to 2,800 gallons.
Continue readingCalifornia National Guard Chinooks in action
Footage from the California Army National Guard shows CH-47 Chinooks from Stockton dropping water on wildfires near Redding.
Montana company purchases first civilian-owned CH-47D Chinooks
Billings Flying Service just became the first non-military owner of CH-47D Chinook helicopters. Gary Blain, a co-owner of the company, told Fire Aviation that the process was much like purchasing a used government-owned vehicle. He submitted a $6.5 million bid for two of them and it was accepted.
Columbia Helicopters has BV-234 Chinooks, but this is the first time the higher performance CH-47D models have migrated into the civilian world.
On Wednesday and Thursday Mr. Blain and another pilot flew the two Chinooks from the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama to the company’s facilities south of Billings, Montana near the Yellowstone River.
Anything you do with aircraft is expensive. Mr. Blain said they spent $32,000 for fuel during their two-day trip, with an overnight stopover in Norfolk, Nebraska.
In about four months they expect to have one of them outfitted for wildland firefighting, with the other coming on line next year. He said with an external bucket the ships could deliver 2,500 gallons of water. They have been consulting with the manufacturer, Boeing, and are considering installing an internal water tank with a snorkel and water pump for refilling the tank. The Chinook has an unusually high capacity for electrical accessories, so they are looking at either an electrical or a hydraulic pump. The water would exit the tank either from the rear ramp or through a hole cut in the belly. We asked if the tank would be similar to the RADS tank pioneered by Aero Union, and Mr. Blain said that if they choose the internal tank option they would probably work with Boeing to engineer something new.
When operated by the military the Chinooks have a three-person crew, two pilots and an engineer-type who monitors gauges and interfaces with passengers. Billings Flying Service will not haul passengers, so they will reconfigure the cockpit making it possible for two pilots to handle everything. They will also install a bubble window to improve the visibility when flying external loads.
The company expects to hire at least 15 new employees to complete the work on the two helicopters. They will also construct a hanger for the ships, either at their headquarters or at the Billings airport.
Billings Flying Service is a second generation helicopter company and currently has one Bell 212 on an exclusive use firefighting contract and three Sikorsky S-61s and two Bell UH-1Hs on call when needed contracts. In addition to aerial firefighting, they are experienced in aerial construction, power transmission line construction, equipment transportation, geo-seismic exploration and passenger air charter.
Thanks and a hat tip go out to Dick and Steve.
Fort Carson helicopter pilots train with Bambi Bucket
Pilots and firefighters at Fort Carson near Colorado Springs conducted training earlier this month with the goal of becoming qualified to use CH-47 helicopters to drop water on wildfires. Below is an article provided by the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office.
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Story by Sgt. Jonathan Thibault
FORT CARSON, Colo. – Splish splash — Colorado Springs wildfires could be getting a bath. Pilots of the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, were conducting Bambi Bucket training on Fort Carson, April 4.
A Bambi Bucket is a specialized bucket that carries about 2,000 gallons of water, suspended on a cable carried by a helicopter for aerial firefighting. When the helicopter is in position, the crew opens the release valve to battle the fire below.
Officials with 4th Inf. Div. and the Fort Carson Fire Department are working together to receive approval of the Bambi Bucket mission, so the 4th CAB can assist with firefighting efforts in the Colorado Springs area.
“These missions would give 4th CAB the capability to help other agencies fight wildfires,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 James Dowdy, battalion standardization officer and senior CH-47 Chinook pilot, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th CAB, 4th Inf. Div. “4th CAB could help reduce or prevent the loss of lives and property damage due to wildfires.”
“We hope to get a positive interaction from the surrounding communities and support them the best way we can,” said Capt. Sean Pearl, commander, Company B, 2nd GSAB, 4th Avn. Reg. “We have three crews training for this mission and will train future Chinook crews as they arrive to 4th CAB.”
The CAB soldiers could be a strong reactive force in preventing and fighting wildfires in Colorado.
“Due to our training, we would be able to react quicker than most agencies and our helicopters can get into areas that most aircraft cannot,” said Dowdy. “The ability to respond quickly to these emergencies makes 4th CAB versatile and allows our Chinooks to perform at various locations worldwide.”
“We are currently discussing protocols with Colorado Springs firefighting agencies to better facilitate our mission to best fit their needs,” said Pearl.
The aviators hope to get the Bambi Bucket missions to get more flight training and prevent the spread of future wildfires. “It is a fairly simple mission because our CH-47 Chinooks are designed to carry external loads, such as the Bambi Bucket,” said Dowdy. “This mission would provide 4th CAB aviators a real-world mission that cannot be done through simulation and also make a positive impact on the surrounding civilian population.”
Fort Carson and the 4th Inf. Div. can only deploy military resources to support firefighting efforts when requested by the National Interagency Fire Center and approved by the Secretary of Defense. At that point, Fort Carson’s support would be coordinated through U.S. Northern Command, located at Peterson Air Force Base. NIFC can only request Department of Defense support after all other local, state and federal resources have been exhausted.